Annealing leer



P. L. GEER ANNEALING LEER July 18, 1933.

Filed June 21 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l P. l.. GEER 1,918,962

ANNEALING LEER Filed June 2l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q om v INVENTOR @fam Julyv 18, 1933.

perature as soon as possible after it enters the Patented July 1S, 19553 UNITED.. STATE-s; PATENT oFFlcE PAUL L. GEEB, 0F BELLEVUE; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMCD, INCORPORATED,

v @F PTTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ANNEALNG LEER Application filed June 2l, 1930. Serial No. 462,798.

This invention relates to annealing leers for glass ware and it is among the objects thereoiE to provide a leer structure having a top and bottom combustion chamber with means F. for controlling the temperature at intervals 5' throughout the heating chamber.

@ther objects of the invention are to provide a leer structure having a heating tunnel characterized by combustion chambers provided at the top and bottom oi said tunnel, heating i'iues communicating with one of said heating chambers, and an exhaust ilue provided with means for withdrawing the products of combustion through the heating iue 5 or 'through an exhaust Lue to controi the temperature at intervals Within the heating chambers.

En the annealingoi glassware itis desirable to subject the ware to the maximum temannealing tunnel and after the temperature of the Ware has reached a maximum it is subjected to a gradually decreasing temperature to remove thek strains from the ware.

lf a single heating chamber is employed/at the bottom of the annealing tunnel, the heat required to maintain a suitable temperature in the tunnel is excessive and is destructive of the conveyor mechanism where the latter is contained wholly within the tunnel.

To overcome this difficulty the present invention contemplates the provision of heating means at both the top and bottom of the tunnel to reduce the temperature in the heating chamber and maintain a suitable annealing temperature within the tunnel.

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which Figure-1 isa vertical sectional view'of the front portionof an annealing leer embodying the principles of this invention; Figure 2 'a similar view of the rear portion of the leer; Figure 3 a cross sectional view taken along the line III-III, Figure 1 Figure 4 a cross-sectional view taken y along the line IV-IV, Figure 1; Figure 5 a cross section of a Aportion of the roof structure showing manner of mounting curtains; and Figure 6 a v :formed of suitable insulating material 2, such as refractory brick with or without sheet inetal lining and having the roof constructed of insulating-material of varying thickness forming a Wall of decreasing thickness towards the rear or cooling portion of the leer.

The bottom oi' the annealing chamber is constructed oi' tile 3 having a relatively thin wall 4 to provide for efficient transmission of heat to the tunnel 1,fand the forward end of the tile structure consists of a combustion chamber 5 which is fired through the port 5A with a gaseous or liquid fuel as the case may be.

The tile structure extending from the combustion chamber toward the rear of the leer form a horizontal flue 6 extending the width of the leer having vertical flues 7, 8 and 9 on each side communicating with a common exhaust ue 10.

At the top of the heating chamber a tile structure 11 is'employed to term a second combustion chamber 12 having a port 13 for the, reception of a fuel nozzle and having a connection at 14 with the exhaust iue 10.

'lf he tile 3 forming the combustion chamber 5 and a portion of the horizontal Hue ,6 is preferable of a highly conductive material', a suitable'material being a tile of approximately 90% carborundum with a silica binder. The remaining portion of theheating ilue 6 extendingtoward the rear of the leer may be constructed of tile having a carborundurn mixand for the cooler portion tileof even lesser carborundum content such as 30% may be employed.

The Hue 10 is connected to an exhaust mem-v ber such as a fan or blower 10A to establish a forced draft whereby the products of combustion may be drawn through the lues 6l and 14 from the combustion chambers with positive control. The vertical flues 7, 8 and 9 are provided with dampers 15 whereby they may be independentlyconnected with the common exhaust flue 10 andthe latter may be an endless conveyor belt 18 is provided to conduct the ware through the annealing and cooling portions of the leer.

As shown in Figs. 3 and l ofthe drawings, the conveyor 18 is supported` on a plurality of rolls 20 and 21 and is further supported at its side edges by channel members 22. The channels are provided with vertical plates 23 to prevent ware from falling from the conveyor 18 to the bottom of the tunnel or annealing chamber. The ware supporting roll 20 is shorter than the roll 2l because it is disposed between the channel member 22 and these rolls with the channel, support the work carrying strand of the conveyor member whereas the large rolls 2l support the return strand of the conveyor and they are arranged at less frequent intervals longitudinally of the leer structure. The upper rolls 20 are raised above the chamber 22 to prevent excessive friction caused by the conveyor belt dragging on the side channel. It is further evident from Fig. 4 of the drawings that there are two vertical flues in transverse alinement that communicate with the heating flue 6 and the exhaust flue l() and since the iues are provided with separate damper elements, they can be severally controlled to provide flexible temperature regulation within the glass annealing chamber.

At the rear of the leer the roof may be constructed of a plurality of hinged sections 19, which may be partially opened to accelerate heat loss from the tunnel in the cooling zone of the leer. The hot sections of the leer Vare provided with heavy insulating material 2a, which is supported on plates 30 extending between the flanges 31 lof the transverse supports 32, as shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 5 provision is made for mounting roller curtains 33 in recesses 34 in the roof of the tunnel. The recesses permit the raising of the ends of curtains 33 above the roof to prevent interference with the work traveling through the tunnel and the curtains, which vextend across the tunnel may be adjusted to any position without interfering with the height of the ware on conveyor 18. By adjusting the curtains and by spacing them in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2,'the tunnel may be effectively divided into separate heat zones to obtain more eiiicient heat control.

the bottom combustion chamber 5 may be i Withdrawn through the side lues 7 by Iopening the damper 15 and shutting olf the dampers of the remaining flues 8, 9 and the like, or the heat from the chamber 5 may be withdrawn through any one of the vertical side flues, or all of them if desired, by manipulation of their dampers. The heat from the combustion chamber 12 may be withdrawn through the connection 140i the exhaust flue 10 or the heat may be drawn through the vertical side iiue 12a into the bottom heating flue 6 and thence to the exhaust flue 10 at a more remote side flue connection. Some of the hot gases mayalso be withdrawn from the bottom chamber 5 through the flue 12a.

The combustion chamber 12 at the top of the leer is employed to assist in maintaining a uniform temperature in the forward end of the tunnel to give the glass ware the same treatment from above and below. The top and bottom heating chambers also produce the highest temperature inthe forward part of the leer tunnel.

Where only a bottom heating chamber is employed, theexeessively high temperature necessary for maintaining the high temperature at the front of the tunnel is detrimental to the conveyor and the metal supports. By utilizing both top and bottom heating, there is less differential in temperature and better treatment is obtained.

It will be evident from the foregoing description of this invention that annealing leers made in accordance therewith are of simple, durable construction and provide for the efficient regulation of the temperature within the annealing chamber to maintain a temperature gradient for the annealing of the glassware throughout the critical annealing range of the leer.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A leer for treating glass ware comprising an annealing tunnel, a combustion chamber at the top and a combustion chamber at the bottom of said tunnel and external thereof, a heating flue associated with one wall of said tunnel and communicating with one of said combustion chambers, vexhaust means for said flue and chambers, and means for directing the flow of products of combustion through said chambers and flues from 2. A leer for treating glass ware comprising an annealing tunnel, a combustion chamber at the top and a combustionchamber at the bottom 'of said tunnel having a wallA of the chambers forming a wall of the tunnel, a heating flue communicating with said chambers, means for establishing separate heating zones longitudinally and transversely of said flue, and damper controlled means for regulating the temperature of said zones.

3. A leer for treating glassware comprising a plurality of combustion chambers in superposed spaced relation and having walls thereof forming vertically spaced walls ofv said tunnel, a heating flue having passages connecting with said chambers, exhaust means extending longitudinally of said iue and connections joining said exhaust means and flue at intervals throughout the entire length of said flue.

4. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a plurality of combustion chambers externally of and located at the top and bottom of said tunnel, a heating line adjacent' the bottom wall of said 3o tunnel and communicating with said bottom chamber, anv exhaust iue' connected to said top chamber and extending longitudinally of said tunnel, flues connecting said exhaust and heating fines at spaced intervals and dampers controlling said connecting flues.

/ 5. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a combustion chamber at the-top and bottom and adjacent the front of said tunnel, a heating lue at the bottom of said tunnel communicating with both of said heating chambers and an exhaust flue at the top of said tunnel and means for conducting cooling air through said exhaust flue and means for withdrawing some of the hot gases from the bottom heating chamber before entering the heating flue.

` 6. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, combustion chambers at the top and bottom and adjacent the front of said tunnel, a heating flue at the bottom of said tunnel communicating with both o said chambers, an exhaust iiue at the top of said tunnel communicating directly with one of said chambers and to the other of said chambers through the heating iue to withdraw the products of combustion there- 7. A leenfor treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel', combustion chambers atthe top and bottom and adjacent the front of said tunnel, a heating flue at the.

bottom of said tunnel communicating with both of the said chambers, an exhaust flue at the top of said tunnel communicating with one of said chambers and the heating flue and having a plurality of damper controlled inlets to vary the quantity of hot gases 1emoved at intervals along the heating flue to regulate the temperature in said flue and tunnel.

8. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, combustion chambers at the top and bottom and adjacent the front of the tunnel, a heating flue at the bottom of said tunnel communicating with said chambers, an exhaust flue at the top of said tunnel and having a plurality of laterally and longitudinally spaced damper controlled inlets to the bottom lue to vary the quantity ot hot gases removed at intervals along the heating flue to regulate the temperature across the llue and longitudinally of the tunnel.

9. A leer for treating glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a combustion chamber at the bottom of said tunnel, and external- 1y thereof, a heating flue in communication therewith, an exhaust flue extending along the tunnel, laterally and longitudinally spaced inlets connecting the heating liue and the exhaust flue, and damper means for the inlets to selectively vary the quantity of hot gases removed through the inlets to regulate the temperature of the lue and the tunnel at spaced lateral and longitudinal intervals.

PAUL L. GEER. 

